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Staple Extractor from a bolt cropper

Recently, I had to replace about 20 rotten fencing posts on a run and I didn't want to leave the old posts in place.

It was a pig of a job getting the staples out of the old posts as the posts weren't rotten above ground level, so I made one of these from a low cost bolt cropper. The minor modification to the end of the jaws means the cropper will bite on the staple in the same way as an "Ezepull" fencing tool. I bought the bolt cropper from Aldi.

As the groove is wide enough for the staple to rotate during extraction it comes straight out. Furthermore, this method seems to cause less damage to the galvanising on the wire.

I also ground down the sides of the spike on a conventional fencing pliers so that it can be inserted more easily into the hoop of the staple.

I use protective gear when taking out staples just in case I have ground off too much metal and the end splits off the modified bolt blade or pliers. I have had this problem with fencing pliers when the end has chipped off under high load.

I have found staple extraction using the modified bolt cropper quicker and easier than driving a spike or chisel under the hoop of the staple and then levering it out.